The Doha Trade talks have been stalled for years due to differences on trade barriers, agricultural subsidies [Getty Images]

“It is politically impossible to contemplate other areas and leave agriculture out. Industrial goods, services and agriculture were in the core of the Doha Round in 2008 and will continue to be once it is resumed. There is no way to take any of the three from the board,” said Azevedo.

He said his greatest challenge after assuming office would be to make the Doha Development Round move forward.

Negotiations for the Doha Round have been suspended for years due to differences on issues such as trade barriers and agricultural subsidies.

Azevedo said at a press conference in Brazil’s foreign ministry in Brasilia, the federal capital of Brazil, that the dilemma will have to be addressed once negotiations are resumed.

The diplomat admitted that the current scenario is not favorable to the fall of trade barriers because of the adverse effects of the 2008 financial crisis.

“Some 20 per cent of the protectionist measures introduced since 2008 have been lifted, which means that 80 per cent are still active,” Azevedo said, stressing the importance of resuming negotiations to the world trade club.

He expressed optimism over the next WTO Ministerial Conference to be held in December in Bali, Indonesia, where matters such as agriculture, tariffs, food security and subsidies will be discussed.

“The negotiations are not advancing the way we expect. There is some pessimism in Geneva. I hope we can revert that to have a consensus by December. I have not given up on Bali yet,” said Azevedo.

Azevedo, who served as Brazil’s ambassador to the WTO since 2008, will take office as the next director general in September.

Azevedo beat Mexico’s Herminio Blanco, widely seen as the favored choice of the United States in the race for the top spot.

Source: Agencies

President Putin (right) reiterated Russia’s assistance to South Africa in developing an advanced nuclear power industry [PPIO]

“We intend to transform this group into a full-fledged mechanism for cooperating on global economic and political issues,” said Russian President Vladimir Putin.

This was the third time in less than a year that President Putin has met his South African counterpart Jacob Zuma, the Russian president described this as a sign of the growing ties between the two nations.

“I believe that as partners in BRICS we need to have a lot in common. As I indicated when you were in South Africa – South Africa’s membership to BRICS to us, it means, in a way, Africa’s membership to BRICS. And therefore that is actually very important,” President Zuma told Putin.

“It is a sign that we pay a great deal of attention to each other, and we believe that relations between the Republic of South Africa and Russia have good prospects,” Putin said.

“In fact, we have very good political contacts, not only bilaterally but also in the international arena, within a variety of key international organisations,” he added.

Putin reiterated Russia’s assistance to South Africa in developing an advanced nuclear power industry.

“We see great potential for cooperation in nuclear energy. Russia is ready to provide assistance in creating a comprehensive nuclear energy industry in South Africa,” Putin said during the press statements following talks.

Currently, South Africa has two nuclear reactors accounting for five per cent of the country’s electricity.

South Africa is seeking to expand its nuclear energy sector, planning a further 9,600 MW capacity in the next decade.

The two countries vowed to partner in other energy projects, including development of alternative energy sources.

“The president has given a lot of details in that area. I don’t think I need to repeat, except to say that we feel we are on the right move in terms of deepening our relations. And today’s meeting will go a long way to ensure that they are strengthened, they are broadened,” Zuma added.

The situation in Syria was also discussed during the talks.

“We agreed on further coordinating positions on peaceful settlement of the conflict in Syria. We are determined to continue to work to end violence and external interference as quickly as possible and will encourage the maintenance of Syria’s territorial integrity and sovereignty,” Putin said.

Daria Chernyshova

Samaras with Chinese President Xi Jinping [Xinhua Images]

Samaras arrived in Beijing on Wednesday and is paying a five-day official visit to China.

A joint communiqué released during Samaras’ visit said Greece welcomes China to participate in the privatisation of the country’s state-owned assets.

Ratings agency Fitch has just upgraded Greece and has given it a stable outlook, saying that the country’s Economic Adjustment Programme is “on track”.

Samaras met Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang during his trip.

“(We) look forward to closer cooperation between the two sides on trade, shipping, culture and tourism,” Xi said, adding that the Chinese government encourages the country’s enterprises to invest in Greece.

Xi said China firmly backs integration in Europe and is ready to make efforts with Greece, who will hold the rotating presidency of the European Union in 2014.

Greece has remained mired in recession for nearly six years and almost crashed out of the euro last year.

With inputs from Agencies

[Xinhua Images]

Ten provinces have been affected, including some in central China.

Guangdong province has been worst-hit, with rainstorms battering five cities, including the provincial capital Guangzhou, with at least 22 people are reported to have been killed, and 16 people reported missing in the province.

More than 650,000 people throughout the province are affected.

Transport conditions have been severely affected due to the rainstorms that triggered flooding and landslides.

China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs and the National Committee for Disaster Reduction have launched a level-four disaster relief response.

Source: Agencies

A Russian combat helicopter during military exercises with China [Xinhua]

Rosoboronexport representative Grigory Kozlov told reporters at the Sixth HeliRussia-2013 international fair that 140 helicopters totaling $2.2 billion were expected to be delivered in 2013.

Russia is also in the running for potential contracts totaling a further $9 billion, he said.

Kozlov said Russian helicopters were superior to competitors’ aircraft due to their advanced technical characteristics.

India is among the largest clients, with a potential order of 197 Ka-226T combat helicopters up for grabs in a current tender, he said.

“There is a chance we’ll win that tender,” Kozlov said.

Ka-226T is a multi-purpose helicopter equipped with French-made engines. It is capable of carrying a load of up to 1500 kg and has a speed of 200 km/h.

Russia is also vying to supply 12 Mi-17V5 helicopters to Afghanistan and 12 more Mi-35M craft to Brazil.

Rosoboronexport is the only Russian arms trader present at HeliRussia-2013, which started here Thursday.

In 2012, Russia exported helicopters worth a total of $1.5 billion to 23 countries, according to the Rosoboronexport website. Its largest clients include India and China.

Xinhua

Netanyahu met with Putin to discuss resolving the Syrian crisis [PPIO]

The talks are expected to focus in particular on the situation in Syria. Ban earlier said in an interview that he hopes to discuss settling the Syrian issues during his visit to Russia with account for the country’s important role in international affairs.

Syria has been high on the agenda of Russia’s foreign policy.

On May 14, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Putin to discuss a way out of the Syrian quagmire.

About 80,000 people have died in Syria since the beginning of the uprising against President Bashar Assad, according to UN figures, and a further 1.5 million have become refugees.

Israel itself launched two attacks against Syrian military facilities two weeks ago, claiming it fears that advanced weaponry which threatens Israeli cities could fall in the hands of radical troops.

Netanyahu’s visit to Russia is the third in a flurry of diplomatic activity seeking to find a political solution to the Syrian crisis.

It has been discussed in Russia over the past week, with John Kerry and David Cameron visiting Moscow and Sochi respectively.

Daria Chernyshova, the BRICS Post’s correspondent in Moscow, says that Russia has been at odds with the West over the issue, but the recent visits signify that the two are trying hard to put aside differences to find a solution to the Syrian crisis.

They also signify that Western powers see Russia as a key partner in helping to end the civil war.

Moscow has repeatedly stated it has no interest in seeing Assad remain in power, but is rather concerned that unilateral sanctions would create a power vacuum that would lead to more violence.

Syria analyst Camille Otrakji says that it is important for the US and the UN to work from the common denominator that “neither side can win by force, neither side is always right and moral, and that neither side enjoys the backing of a large majority of the Syrian people”.

The UN chief is in Russia on an official visit on May 16-19. The visit is Ban’s sixth to Russia, with the previous one paid in April 2011.

The Russian Foreign Ministry earlier said it hopes Ban will discuss social and economic aspects of the United Nations activities and plans for the organization’s development after 2015.

The Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrives in India on May 19 [Getty Images]

The premier said the linking of the markets of the two countries will benefit Asia immensely.

“The linkage of the Chinese and Indian civilisations and their markets, the harmonious coexistence of the two countries, their mutual respect for each other’s concerns will bring tangible benefits to people in both countries and provide strong impetus for development and prosperity in Asia and the world,” Li said.

He was addressing a 100 member Indian youth delegation in Beijing headed by officials from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports of India on Wednesday.

The Chinese premier arrives in India on May 19 and has said that his decision to make India the destination of his first overseas visit was “carefully thought out”.

Li said China and India are natural partners and close neighbours.

China is India’s second largest trading partner and the nations have set a trade target of $100 billion by 2015.

Manmohan Singh, India’s prime minister noted earlier this month that in 2012 China, India together accounted for 45 per cent of world growth in purchasing power parity.

Both China and India have been vocal proponents of a multi-polar world, Li urged.

Li stressed on the youth of the nations to take an in-depth view of the significance of the China-India relationship and to participate in the bilateral friendly cooperation.

India’s external affairs minister Salman Khurshid was in Beijing last week and discussed bilateral trade, investment and the recent border tensions among others with his Chinese counterpart.

Returning to New Delhi from his Beijing visit, the minister addressed a press conference saying that India and China are working on a new border defence co-operation agreement, adding that China has made suggestions on border protocol.

The BRICS Post

The strikes could pose a big risk to the South African economy [AP Images]

Lonmin spokeswoman Sue Vey said the strike has led to the suspension of operations at the mine, although no violent incidents have been reported.

The miners, members of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU), held a strike on Tuesday to press their demand that rival union National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) vacate their offices.

Lonmin Platinum Mine is the world’s third largest platinum producer.

AMCU, which has been fighting with NUM for dominance among the miners, claimed that NUM no longer represents the majority of miners.

Their rivalry has often led to violent clashes.

“As we speak, the demand is about the closure of NUM. AMCU has signed a peace accord in which they committed themselves to respecting freedom of association,”AMCU President Joseph Mathunjwa said.

NUM should accept that AMCU is now the minority and should shutdown its offices, Mathunjwa said.

AMCU’s demand to close NUM’s office has been rejected by the Lonmin management, which calls for co-existence among unions under a peace accord signed last year.

This is the latest round of labour unrest that has hit South Africa.

The strikes could pose a big risk to the South African economy as mining accounts for about 10 per cent of the country’s output.

The Lonmin mine was the centrepiece of widespread labour unrest in the mining sector last year.

In clashes with police in August, 2012, 44 people were killed in what is being described as the worst labour unrest in the post-apartheid era.

Source: Agencies

Last year saw a record melting of summer sea ice in the Arctic region [Xinhua]

The Arctic Circle has been looking to incorporate more inclusive debate about the future of the Arctic region.

Iceland’s President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson has been calling for an expanded role for China, India and other Asian countries in the future of the Arctic, arguing that the rapid melting of the summer sea ice was having effects far beyond the region.

Presdent Grimsson said recently that oil companies and Asian countries like China, India, Singapore and South Korea should have a voice in the future of the region.

“We realise that there are other nations in Asia and Europe that have legitimate concerns and enterprises in the Arctic and it’s important to involve them in a co-operative effort,” Grimsson said.

China, India, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea and Singapore were granted new Observer States status at the Eighth Ministerial Meeting of the Arctic Council convened in Kiruna, the northernmost city of Sweden.

Approximately 230 people, including ministers, delegates from the eight Arctic states, representatives of indigenous peoples, scientists and observers, participated in this event, which marks the end of the two-year Swedish chairmanship and the beginning of the Canadian chairmanship of the Arctic Council.

At present, only the eight countries of the Arctic Council have a say in setting policy in the region – America, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and Iceland.

Last year saw a record melting of summer sea ice in the Arctic which has led to a major push by oil and mining companies to drill in Arctic waters, and by Asian countries hoping to cut shipping routes.

TBP with inputs from Xinhua

The number of mobile internet users in China hit 420 million by the end of 2012 [Xinhua]

The number of online users in China reached 564 million at the end of 2012, with the number of mobile internet users hitting 420 million.

The data was published in a “Report on China’s Rising New Media” by the official Xinhua News Agency on Wednesday.

China’s internet penetration rate has exceeded 42 per cent and the report expects the online population to reach 600 million very soon.

A recent report by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has shown that China is rapidly becoming one of the biggest e-commerce markets in the world with total sales in 2012 reaching $211 billion.

The fast expansion of network coverage has fuelled a surge in a variety of internet applications, which range from instant messaging and video-sharing to shopping and banking, as well as social networking, the report says.

The spectacular rise of new media, social media specifically, has led Alibaba, China’s biggest e-commerce firm to buy an 18 per cent stake in China’s twitter like micro-blogging platform SinaWeibo for $586 million.

Xinhua’s report cited WeChat, the popular instant voice messaging app developed by internet giant Tencent, as an example of the increasing surge of new media.

The application has attracted 300 million registered users in just two years.

The growing number of applications will help new media become China’s most significant social and information platform, the report says.

With inputs from Xinhua